Key Study: The utility of early lactate testing in undifferentiated pediatric systemic inflammatory response syndrome (2012)

Key Study: The utility of early lactate testing in undifferentiated pediatric systemic inflammatory response syndrome (2012)

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Objective: Failure to recognize shock contributes to inadequate early resuscitation in many children with sepsis. Serum lactate levels are used to identify adult patients with septic shock, but physical examination diagnosis alone is recommended in pediatric sepsis. The authors sought to test the utility of lactate testing in pediatric emergency department (ED) patients with systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS). The hypothesis was that early hyperlactatemia (serum lactate >/= 4.0 mmol/L) would be associated with increased risk of organ dysfunction. Published: 2012.